The Meadow Secret
by pour etre je
Summary: In Twilight, During the meadow scene Edward acts suspiciously and mysteriously. Could it be possible that he is hiding something?... Or someone?... please review!
1. Chapter 1

Compulsory Disclaimer: I don't make any money from writing this sadly :P which also means I don't own the characters!

Thanks to Toni Isis (my sister!) for beta reading! She mainly does Mummy fanfic.

This my first fanfiction, so constructive criticism is welcome, but if you're mean then aforementioned sister will hunt you down!

Summary: In _Twilight,_ During the meadow scene Edward acts suspiciously and mysteriously. Could it be possible that he is hiding something?...

Chapter 1: 

The Idea

The house was unusually quite with Emmett on a hunting trip with Jasper, Rosalie and Carlisle. The silence is peaceful to me, as I didn't have Emmett's booming voice and Rosalie's raging insults ringing throughout my mind as they usually did. I went hunting yesterday with Alice and Esme as they are the most, supportive about me and Bella being together. Which brings me to the present. I'm spending the day with Bella. _My _Beautiful Bella. Thinking of Bella, it reminds me of my theory about Bella's safety being around me... This idea involves, Alice. Over-excitable Alice. She'll be bound to jump to the wrong conclusions, as per usual. I can hear her. She is about to exit out through the back-door, better ask her for her help before she leaves...

"Alice? Can you come here for a minute please?" I thought considering that I would be alone with Bella all day, I may as well take some precautions.

"Yes Edward. What do you want?" Alice asked curiously as she is skipping into my room.

"I'm a little worried about this afternoon..."

" You'll be fine we have taken all the precautions that we can to make it safer. There is no need to worry Edward." Alice interrupted me before I got my point out.

_Honestly Edward. Do you think I would let you go with her if I didn't think it was safe?_

"Well no... But I had an idea... What would you say if I asked you to come with me?"

"Your going to ALLOW me to see her!" Alice chirped as she jumped up and down on the spot in front of me.

"No, don't be silly. I mean if you come with me, you must not let her see you..." I gave her a meaningful look.

"Ah, I see. Nice thinking Edward."

"Exactly." I continued. "You would be able -and close enough- to stop me if I lost control around her."

_But you WONT ! Because I want her to know me too..._

"Your not meeting her! And she wont know you...!"

_The visions don't lie Edward!_

"They may not lie but the can be changed. You know that yourself!"

Alice became non-responsive and her eyes seemed to stare off into space while she checked the future. This only lasted a second as she found what she needed with ease.

"Nope, she's still going to be my friend, Edward. The vision is still strong..."

"ENOUGH ALICE! We need to concentrate on the plan."

_As much as I want to prove he is wrong about Bella and me... He is right. We need to concentrate. I'll bring it up later though..._

"Alice, please concentrate. I'm picking her up in half and hour we need to have the details set in time."

As Alice and me whiz over the uneven, forest ground that takes us to Bella's house. I decide to take this chance, as it might be the last I get, to remind Alice again of her boundaries.

"Okay Alice, keep a good distance and stay hidden..." I instructed to Alice as we ran to Bella's house.

"I know what to do Edward. No commentary needed." she interrupted me.

"I'm just nervous okay. I can't make any mistakes Alice, one mistake and I could... I could _Kill her_ Alice." I cringed when I said the word out loud. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I hurt her. I wouldn't be able to live without her. I would follow on soon after if that was the case... Alice interrupted my fretting,

"Edward, I have faith in you, and Bella has faith in you. We have taken all the precautions that we can to make this safer for her. She'll be fine Edward." Alice was good at reassuring me, I sometimes thought that maybe Jasper had rubbed off on her a little bit.

"Your right, she'll be fine."

_That's the spirit! Now go get her, I'll wait in the forest and follow you there._

"Thank you Alice I owe you for this." Alice is always understanding.

"It's all right, anything for Bella, right?" Also she would do anything to help Bella...

_Go she's waiting! _

I nodded and whispered "Thank you" once again. Alice sped off into the trees and in one second she climbed up a fir tree about twenty yards in. With a huge smile, wide enough to scare a human. She gestured me forward, towards Bella's front door. With a smile back, I walked slightly faster than a humans normal stride, to her front door. I knocked just once on the door with hardly any force, wondering if she would hear. Obviously she would.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

The Truck Journey

Only a second later she yanked the door open. She let out a sigh of... Relief! That feeling of joy was overwhelming me once again. She was relived to see me! A wide smile spread across her face.

_I thought you couldn't read her mind! _

Alice chuckled. What did she mean? I looked over her looking for something funny. Then I noticed, we matched! We both are wearing a long, light tan sweater with a white collar showing underneath. As are our blue jeans the same!

"Good Morning" I chuckled.

"What's wrong?" she scanned herself as she spoke.

"We match!" I chuckled once again, but this time she laughed with me. But there is something about her eyes that doesn't seem humours or embarrassed. There is still happiness and relief there but there is also... Regret. This is very frustrating for me, not being able to read her mind, to not know the reason behind this regret. Is the reason because she doesn't truly want to come out with me today or is this regret from something trivial. How confusing! As I watched her close the door I heard Alice's silvery laugh echo through my brain.

_Your face is hilarious! What are you thinking about anyway?..._

I stole a glance in her direction to see her smiling and waving as if to... Bella?!?! My stare silenced her thoughts and she stuck her tongue our at me.

I followed her to her truck, stopping by the passenger door, _humph, _I could feel the martyred expression appearing on my face.

"We made a deal," she reminded me as she climbed into the driving seat. She reached over to open my door with a smirk on her face. "Were to?" She asked me as I got in.

"Put your seat belt on – I'm nervous all ready." she gave me a dirty look as she fastened in.

"Were to?" She repeated again.

"Take the one-oh-one north" I ordered.

As she drove I gazed at her face, mesmerised by its beauty. Then I looked at the speed-O-meter, then the sun just rising in the east, back to the speed-O-meter and then to her face once again and asked humorously,

"Were you planning to make it out of Forks before night-fall?"

"This truck is old enough to be your cars Grandfather – have some respect!" she retorted.

We were soon out of the town limits and the houses and lawns were replaced by thick under brush and green-swathed tree trunks. I could see faint glimpses of white flickering beside us about ten feet in from the closest tree. Alice. I stared out of the side window and Alice turned her head and met my stare. I motioned for her to move further into the forest with a flick of my hand. She did as I asked with a delicate wave. I turned back to Bella then and told her the next instruction,

"Turn right on the one-ten," She obeyed. "Now we drive until the pavement ends." I smiled once again at her thoughtful expression that became more defined as she spoke,

"And what's there, at the pavements end?" she wondered.

"A trail."

"We're hiking?" Did her face have a hint of relief on it now? I wonder what she _thought_ we were doing. I hated being unsure, not knowing for definite. _Arrrrrrrr!_

"Is that a problem?" Knowing Bella, it would be!

"No" Lie.

"Don't worry, it's only five miles or so, an were in no hurry."

_Please be careful with her Edward, she is only Human._

I shot and angry look out of the window in Alice's direction, she would see it.

_She's my friend to you know._

When will Alice get it?! Bella will not have to know another vampire, that would be dangerous, as if its not already dangerous knowing one that loved her...

_The vision's still strong, your not working hard enough! Ha Ha Ha...!_

Alice's silvery laugh was beginning to get on my nerves. I shot her yet another angry glare, her laugh began to die out. I turned back to Bella now. She looked extremely worried. Yet again, frustration and confusion took over. What was she worried about? The hike (Typical Bella...) or me, possibly again... How I wished I could read her mind at these moments. Figure out a way and hear her thoughts... This is getting even more frustrating by the second! Should I just ask her or work it out by myself? Let frustration take over or respect her minds privacy? Nope. Too frustrating. Ask her definitely. It has been about three minutes now since our last conversation, I may as well ask now...


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter: 3

Anger, Frustration and Confusion.

"Bella? What are you thinking?" I asked. My impatience showing clearly.

"Just wondering were we're going." Was that the truth or a lie to try and keep me out of her mind once again. I'll trust her. It was the truth.

"It's a place I like to go when the weather is nice." Bella glanced at the thinning clouds. I glanced once again at Alice, who was keeping a good distance.

"Charlie said it would be warm to day." Bella added turning her attention back onto the road.

"And did you tell Charlie what you were up to?" I asked.

"Nope."

"But Jessica thinks we're going to Seattle together?" I was a bit cheered by that idea.

"No, I told her you cancelled on me – Which is true."

What? This means that know one knows she's with me. Does she have a death wish?!?!

_Calm down Edward, calm down. COME ON EDWARD! Pull your self together! _

Alice shouted at me in my head. Even with Alice screaming at me, I cant distract my self. I NEED to distract myself. Calm. IN. OUT. IN. OUT. Better ask her make sure my assumptions are correct.

"No one knows your with me?" I really need her to say,

Yes Edward, of coarse someone knows I am with you. What a silly thing to assume!

But instead she said,

"That depends... I assume you told Alice?" Right now I need a moment I can't have. I feel like I about to explode in anger.

_Edward? EDWARD! CALM DOWN! YOUR GOING TO SCARE HER! NO WAIT, YOU ARE SCARING HER! Sheesh Edward! Relax or chill or something!_

"That's very helpful, Bella." I snapped at her. "Are you so depressed by Forks that it's made you suicidal?!?!" I demanded.

_God Edward! That was harsh, say sorry. _

Alice thought shocked.

"You said it might cause trouble for you... us being together publicly." She reminded me.

"So you're worried about the trouble it might cause _me –_ if _you _don't come _home_?"

I'm not just angry now, I have also become extremely sarcastic. She _nodded! _Yes clearly NO sense of self-preservation at all! NONE! _She _didn't tell _anyone _that she was with _me_ a _VAMPIRE,_ that wants to suck her _blood_ ! Because of the trouble it might cause _ME_ trouble!

"SHE'S INSANE!!!" I whispered to myself, infuriated.

_EDWARD YOUR FRIGHTENING HER! Just don't speak okay! _

Alice practically screamed at me. From then on we were both quiet. Bella was probably thinking about how frightening I was, while I was thinking about what she was thinking. My emotions consisted of Anger_, Frustration and Confusion._ The anger was fading by now and so were Alice's demands for me to calm down as she was worried about her 'Friends' heart from the fright. The 'friend' that never was...

Every now and then a rogue thought would send anger or disapproval rippling through me. Just as we reached the end of road, my anger was under control. Just about. Bella turned the engine off and I got out of her truck and removed my tan sweater and wrapped it round my waist then unbuttoned my shirt as it was oddly warm for Forks today, as Alice has predicted. I waved Alice away to the meadow to wait for our arrival.

_Edward will you be okay with out me if I go ahead so she wont see me?_

I nodded, so quickly that Alice herself wouldn't be sure if I did, let alone Bella. Alice ran ahead. I gave her two seconds head start and then called on Bella,

"This way," I said as I looked over my shoulder. She looked wary probably because of what happened in the truck...

"The Trail?"

"I wont let you get lost." I turned fully around then with a mocking mile on my face. She tried to hide a gasp, unsuccessfully. My anger is gone now and I'm now bewildered then pained by the tortured expression on her face. "Do you want to go home?" I asked my voice saturated in pain.

"No." She answered automatically as she walked forward to stand next to me. Fear looked imminent on her face. This worried me.

"What's wrong?" I asked worried for her.

"I'm not a very good hiker," She answered dully "You'll have to be very patient."

"I can be patient – if I make a great deal of effort." I smiled trying to hold her glance, trying to lift her out of her sudden sadness and pain. I scrutinised her face her smile was unconvincing.

"I'll take you home." I promised. This promise was unconditional. It could be activated now or later, but it was going to happen.

"If you want me to hack five miles through the jungle before sundown, you'd better start leading the way." she said this acidly. I frowned not understanding her expression or tone. I gave up, I would ask her on the way_. _With that I led the way in to the forest...


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter: 4

The Hike

We walked, mainly in silence through out the forest. Her pace was slow, but I kept my patience easily. The route I choose took the longest but was mostly the clearest, I was afraid of lifting her and helping her with my ice cold hands might scare her. But on the rare occasions that my choose of route took us over rocks, boulders or faller trees, I would help her by holding her elbow to lift her up and over, realising her immediately as soon as I could. But her reactions were the opposite of what I thought. Her heart stuttered and then pounded so hard I thought it might break through her fragile chest. Her reaction caught me off-guard the first time and then I got nervous that I would not be able to control myself when I touched her. To distract myself after these occasions I thought of random questions that I remembered I hadn't got to the other two days. I asked about her birthdays and teachers. When I asked about her childhood pets, she blushed and admitted,

"I gave up on pets after I killed three fish in a row." I laughed at that. A little louder than usual because of my nerves as I was about to revel my self in the sun... I kept thinking,

'Don't push her. You don't want to scare her away.' I don't want to lose her. I love her too much. But she had asked if I could show her and I promised and said yes. It was hard for me not to give her what she wanted. At some point I would have to be firm... But I don't want to think about that right now...

It took most of the morning to reach the meadow. I was quite happy with myself for being so patient. But half of me wanted to go slower, so that I could spend more time with Bella before she ran away screaming when she saw me in the sun. But she wanted to see this and I wanted to refuse her of her query but I couldn't say no when I looked at her face. And she accused _me _of dazzling her! So I kept going in the right direction.

After four or so hours, the mossy green of the forest turned into a brilliant jade. It was sunny. Just as Alice had for told. I began to have second thoughts. Alice interrupted my thoughts with her own,

_Edward! It's going to be okay! Now un-change your mind before I show her myself!_

I let out a growl so low that Bella wouldn't hear, but Alice would. Alice kept an eye on me then but I ignored her. The colour difference must have excited Bella as she seemed to become impatient all of a sudden.

"Are we there yet?" she teased.

"Nearly," I smiled at her change in emotion. "Do you see that brightness ahead?"

"Um. Should I?"

"Maybe it's a bit soon for _your_ eyes." I smirked.

"Time to visit the optician." My smirk grew. Had she forgotten all my senses have been strengthened.

I knew when she could see the glow from the meadow as her pace quickened all of a sudden. I let her lead now, still nervous about showing her my true self. A monster.

Alice was in the meadow now and was waiting eagerly by the fringe of the trees. Literally bouncing on the spot with happiness. But still being careful as to not step in to the suns glare. She retreated further as Bella reached the edge of the trees. Bella stepped through, into one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. The Meadow. A small perfectly circular clearing filled with delicate flowers and shimmering grass. Bella walked further into the meadow while I hesitated in the trees; watching her carefully. She turned to stare at me curiously. I stared back with cautious eyes.

_Go on Edward, your making her nervous. Once you've shown her, you won't have hide yourself any more around her. I know that's what you want._

She is right. But I'm still wary of her reaction. She smiled encouragingly back to me and beckoned me with her hand. I held my hand up as a warning. She hesitated but still held her smile. I took a deep breath.

Then stepped out in to the blinding sun light...


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi! Please review they make me a happy chappy! Lol! This chapter is one of my favourite parts of _Twilight _The book and so I have named it after me! Lol! ( my name _pour etre je _is the French for _Free to be!_) Decided I'll stop here and start a new story now! Enjoy! Once again: PLEASE REVIEW! Lol! xxx**

**Chapter 5:**

**Free To Be Me**

Me in the sun is the most repulsive thing. It shows me for what I really am:

A monster. I repels all sunlight. My skin sparkles and shimmers sending beams of light onto every surface. All living things rely on sunlight, I do not. Yet another reminder of how I am the living dead. Another reminder of how I am a monster. Another reminder of how I am all wrong for this beautiful angel standing in front of me. Her eyes are wide but after the shock they started to squint, my skin must be hurting her. This was a bad idea, I should leave. I've probably repulsed her so much she'll leave me, I wont be able to life. I should leave now and pretend this never happened. Just as I begin to back away into the safety of the trees shadows, she whispers,

"No, Please don't go." This surprised me. Has she lost her mind! Why isn't she scared

"Don't I repulse you?" I hardly whispered.

"No, you are the most beautiful thing I have see in my whole life." and with that she began to stride towards me, arms open. She twisted her weak arms as tightly as she could around my hard, sparkling chest.

"On the contrary. You are the most beautiful and understanding creature I have ever met!" and with that I lead her into the middle of my sanctuary: The Meadow.

We spent the rest of the afternoon laying down in the gently swaying grass. It was a conformable silence, it was only broken by the occasional question that popped into my mind. I lay there with my eyes closed and my arms bared, thinking of my beautiful Bella. When I felt a timid touch of a finger on the back of my hand, I opened my eyes and saw my Bella doing what I thought. She looked up, met my gaze and spoke in a sincere voice,

"I'm I bothering you?"

"No, you have no idea how that feels!" I whispered back. It felt amazing to have that line of heat on my ice cold skin. I have never had a human purposely touch my skin as their instincts kick in but my Bella is different, she holds no fear of me. On occasion when a human would knock into me I would fight to gain my control but the sensations I am feeling are enjoyable but not un-controllable. While I am lingering on the feeling she has begun her third circuit tracing my arm, my dry veins and my granite flesh. She went to turn my hand over. Me realising her wish I turn my hand at vampire speed, startling her.

"Sorry. It's easy to be myself around you," I muttered.

For the fist time in my existence as a vampire I felt _Free To Be Me_ in front of someone other than my family.


End file.
